Jupiter

C H A P T E R|| S E V E N T E E N

Tell my love to wreck it all,
Cut all of the ropes and let me fall
My my my, my my my, my my

E l l i e

"What do you mean her mother is infected?"

Noah's expression was one of disinterest as I asked the question, like she had heard and told it time and time again. Like it was a mere inconvenience that I asked. Still, she answered,"I mean, Kali brown is infected." She repeated slowly, as if my brain cells were leaking out of my ears,"You know—like, going to die."

I leant forward in the fold out chair I had been sitting on,"So what," I said, shrugging helplessly,"She wanted to tell her daughter goodbye?" Noah smiled devilishly,"did she have to bring her eight-hundred miles to do that?"

"Not exactly," Noah said, smile fading as she readjusted her leg,"fuck. Did you really have to shoot me old man." It didn't sound like a question—just another inconvenience.

Joel shrugged, he almost looked innocent as he did,"Did you have to lie to us." Again, not a question.

Noah held her arms up defensively,"I never lied, I just," she tilted her head, pondering,"Withheld the truth."

I fought the urge to shoot her other knee,"What do you mean not exactly, Noah?"

Noah rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath. I did too, preparing myself for what I was about to hear,"When Kali was pregnant with Jupiter or—Lucy, as they all like to call her. Kali was with another one of the fireflies wives when she was bitten. Pretty bad too. Kali didn't know what to do. She was almost full term and ready to pop, she wanted her baby to make it. So, she came up with this great plan to give birth, give the baby up to this woman she was with at the time—because she was the only one who knew about the bite—and then shoot herself. Well, days passed and nothing happened. Of course, Kali was confused because she was clearly infected but she wasn't turning. It wasn't until Lucy was born that she started slowly getting sick."

"I'm sorry," Joel said, crossing his arms over his chest as we listened to Noah speak,"She got sick after Jupiter was born."

Noah shook her head exasperatedly,"Lucy." She corrected,"Jupiter doesn't exist. Lucy made that name up when you and Tommy found her."

I grunted,"Okay, whatever. Answer the question, Noah."

Another roll of the eyes,"whatever. After Jupiter was born," she made a point to stare at me while she said the name. It was always going to be the right name. Lucy didn't exist anymore. She never did. Not to me, anyway. Noah continued,"Kali became sicker everyday. Still, she didn't understand why."

"Get to the fucking point, Noah." I said.

The blonde sighed,"Kali was a nurse. One day, she finally figured it out." and then Noah smiled softly, slumping back against the couch,"I'm a little thirsty. Joel, could you grab my water from my bag."

Enough with the bullshit. I wanted to say. I wanted to reach into the back of my jeans, wrap my hand around my pistol and hold it to Noahs head while she spilled all of Kali Browns secrets with a terrified look in those green eyes. Jupiter had once gushed to me about those eyes, but I just wanted to see the fear as it rippled from her every pore. Wanted to smell it, taste it. I wasn't that person, though. I wasn't going to turn into that person. So I just watched her, silently, almost daring her to do something unreasonable.